Mehbooba urges Rahul to raise issue of ‘Muslim victimisation’ in Parliament

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti on Monday urged Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, to raise the issue of alleged Muslim victimisation across the country during the ongoing Monsoon session of Parliament, which commenced on Monday.

In a letter to Rahul Gandhi, the former Chief Minister stated, “While key issues such as the horrific Pahalgam attack, Operation Sindoor, and other critical security matters are expected to dominate discussions, I sincerely hope the Opposition, especially the INDIA bloc, raises the growing concern of Muslim victimisation across the country.”

She further stated that under the pretext of targeting Bangladeshis and Rohingyas, “Muslims are being pushed into increasingly desperate situations.”

“Disturbing media reports have even suggested that some were forced into the sea in attempts to expel them from India. As you rightly highlighted during your visit to Assam, the large-scale demolition of thousands of Muslim homes is deeply troubling,” she wrote.

Referring to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar, Mufti said, “The latest development, the SIR being conducted in Bihar, appears to be yet another systematic effort to dispossess, disempower and ultimately disenfranchise Muslims, effectively erasing their presence both symbolically and literally.”

She further wrote, “The Muslims who chose to remain in India during Partition did so because of the faith they had in the secular leadership of the Congress Party, from Mahatma Gandhi to Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. Today, as the bearer of that legacy, the responsibility falls on your shoulders to uphold and defend the secular and democratic values enshrined in our Constitution.”

The PDP chief noted that when Hindus, who are minorities in neighbouring countries like Pakistan or Bangladesh, are targeted, the Indian nation rightly expresses outrage and the Union government intervenes. However, “when Muslims are targeted within our own country, there is an unsettling silence, a fear that prevents many from speaking up,” she said.

“As a politician from one of the only Muslim-majority regions that chose to join the Indian Union largely due to the vision and secular character of your great-grandfather, I feel extremely helpless at times,” Mufti said.

“Placing great hope in your leadership, I urge you to continue speaking up for a minority that is being steadily marginalised and pushed to the fringes of Indian society,” she added.

J & K